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For the first time in recent memory, state legislators from both parties ripped a governor’s budget Thursday.

State Sen. John Gordner, R-27, Berwick, said Gov. Tom Corbett’s call for the state General Assembly to return to Harrisburg and help him reform the state’s pension systems as part of the budget process is more political in nature than helpful in bringing about reform.

He criticized the governor for using $30 million from the volunteer fire companies loan fund and other budget transfers to cover overall spending and failing to properly tax natural gas drilling.

“We have a $44 billion or $45 billion unfunded (pension) liability problem and this (governor’s plan) does not affect it at all until ... 25-30 years down the road,” he said. “Forty-three states had budget surpluses. We had a $1.5 billion deficit. ... All they (Republicans and Mr. Corbett) do is continue to blame (former Gov. Ed) Rendell, but you had three years here, bud.”

Rep. Frank Farina, D-115, Jessup, said Democrats had no say on the budget, which is wrong, and the governor and Republicans did nothing to avoid a $1.5 billion deficit heading into the 2015-16 budget.

“Our job is to work on these issues and find compromise because it’s not about either party, like I’ve said in the past,” he said. “The No. 1 asset we have in Pennsylvania, is our natural gas, the Marcellus Shale, and we haven’t taxed it. I understand it’s a matter of give and take. We can’t have it all our way either, but if you want to work something with us ... we’re asking for a reasonable tax on Marcellus Shale.”

State Rep. Sid Michaels Kavulich, D-114, Taylor, said the budget relies too heavily on one-time revenues and will leave the governor next year facing a $1.5 billion budget deficit. He decried the governor’s expansion of natural gas drilling in state forests.

“I just think the problem with this budget is it trades the beauty of our state for natural gas drilling. It’s going to provide short-term fixes for what could be literally pocket change,” he said.

He renewed Democrats’ call for a tax on natural gas extraction.

“I don’t think this is as much of a spending problem as it is a revenue problem,” he said. “He claims that we are giving more money to education when in reality, we’re still putting less in the education than we did before Gov. Corbett came into office.”

State Sen. John Blake, D-22, Archbald, pointed to Republicans’ statement criticizing the governor for failing to work with the Republican majorities in the House and Senate. Noting the governor never sought the input of Democrats, he said “the budget is a mess.”

“The whole process has been flawed. The governor has shown very poor leadership and judgment, I think all through the process of the budget,” Mr. Blake said. “The pension proposal that he had advanced ... had never been vetted by a single committee. Never a committee hearing in either chamber. ... It’s a house of cards. We’re going to be back here probably in six months probably revisiting this spending plan because the numbers aren’t going to work.”

Sen. John Yudichak, D-14, Plymouth Twp., said if Mr. Corbett is interested in reducing school property taxes, he should help push legislation to replace school property taxes with a mix of state income and sales taxes.

Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-121, Wilkes Barre, said the governor is pushing a terrible pension proposal that would remove the guarantees of the defined-benefit system for future state government and school district employees.

“He (Corbett) is trying to intimidate everyone to come back and do what he wants,” Mr. Pashinski said.

Contact the writer:

bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com

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